Cheap Merlot Wine

Don't Judge Cheap Merlot Wine

Yes, there are a whole slew of wine snobs that will never admit that they love a wine priced below $50 a bottle. These same wine snobs know that when wine is rated by the Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast and Wine Advocate, the price is not revealed before or during the tasting. Only after the wine is tasted and rated is the price revealed; the wine experts do not change their ratings just because they wine turned out to be pricey. Enough about expensive merlot, here is a list of decent cheap merlot wine that is both suitable for everyday drinking and special occasions.

Cheap Merlot--$20 and Under

Here is a list of cheap merlot priced below $20 per bottle:

• Chateau Souverain Alexander Valley Merlot 2005 – $18 per bottle, from Sonoma County, California. Wine and Spirits gave Chateau Soverain 87 out of 100 points.
• Christian Moueix Merlot 2003 - $15 per bottle, from Bordeaux, France. Wine Enthusiast gave this bottle a score of 86.
• Ray's Station Sonoma County Merlot 2003 – Scoring 87 points from Wine Enthusiast, this bottle of merlot is priced at around $15.
• Clos du Bois Merlot 2003 – Wine Spectator liked this cheap merlot, giving it 87 points. This Sonoma County, California wine is easily found at your local wine merchant or grocery store.
• Hogue Genesis Merlot 2004 – Hogue is known for its fine wines and that includes a nice bottle of cheap merlot. Wine Spectator rates this wine at a whopping 89 points, priced at $20 a bottle - you can't really beat a deal like that!
• Kendall-Jackson Vintners Reserve Merlot 2004 – Kendall-Jackson is a restaurant favorite wine. This Sonoma County merlot received a very respectable rating of 88 points from Wine Enthusiast. At a price of $20 per bottle, this merlot is a good deal.
• Concha y Toro Marques de Casa Concha Merlot 2005 – This wine is priced a little bit above the $20 price point, but not by much, at about $22 a bottle. The reason why it has to be included in this list is because of its spectacular 90+ rating this wine has received from Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast and Wine and Spirits.

Cheap Merlot--$10 to $15

Here is a list of great cheap merlot in the very affordable, everyday wine price range between $10 to $15.

• Covey Run Merlot 2004 – Covey Run is a great winery out of Columbia Valley in Washington. Covey Run Merlot is priced at about $9 per bottle.
• Tortoise Creek Merlot 2006 – It's hard to go wrong with a wine from France. This wine is priced at around $15 per bottle.
• Tin Roof Merlot 2005 – Tin Roof Merlot rated 90 points from Wine Enthusiast. Not bad for a merlot priced at just under $10 a bottle.
• Columbia Crest Two Vines Merlot 2004 – At around $9 a bottle, this Washington wine from the Columbia Valley is a great buy.
• Ironstone Merlot 2005 – This California merlot is priced around $9 a bottle and is a great every day drinking wine.

Enjoying Your Cheap Merlot

Cheap or expensive, there are certain ways in which you can enhance your merlot drinking experience.

• Make sure it is the right temperature – Merlot likes to be served between 55 and 64 degrees Fahrenheit. Serving your merlot somewhere between these temperature ranges will ensure that you will get the optimum flavor and aromatic enjoyment out of the wine.

Cheap is Relative

Above anything else, the word "cheap" is a relative term. Most wine experts (not the super snobby ones, mind you, will tell you that for any type of a wine, a great bottle can be found in the $10 to $15 range. Finally, remember, just because a wine is expensive does not mean it is a good bottle of wine and just because a wine is cheap does not mean it is bad bottle of wine.